An Edinburgh man and his partner have set off on on an epic 4,000-mile trek across Canada and Scotland, raising money in memory of his parents.

Matthew Waterson, 30, lost his parents within two years of each other - with his mum Andrea dying of cancer in 2014 and his father William passing away in 2016 after a battle with Parkinson's and dementia.

He and Hannah Melville, 28, will be cycling across the width of Canada, before immediately flying across the Atlantic and running the width of Scotland.

The trek aims to raise thousands for charities which helped Matt's parents when they were ill.

They cover more than 100 miles a day across 36 days for the Canadian leg of the journey, before running for seven days when they arrive in Scotland.

Matthew and Hannah set off on their journey

They've set off from Tofino on Vancouver Island, where Matt's mother was born, and will finish their journey in St Andrews in Fife, where his father grew up.

Matt told the Daily Record before he set off: "Quite a few people cycle across Canada each year but we haven’t heard of anyone adding a run across Scotland immediately afterwards.

“The toughest things about the challenge will probably be the hills and the sore bums.

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“The switch from cycling to running will also be hard and from doing triathlons, we have had a glimpse of how our legs will feel.

“My parents loved the outdoors and adventure and they would regularly be found up in the hills. They instilled in me a passion for the outdoors, as well as encouraging my sporting interests.

Matt with his dad William and mum Andrea

“To lose my mum so suddenly, to become my dad’s carer when I was just 25, then to lose him, too, wasn’t easy at all.

“Hannah and I have always said that we wanted to do something to raise money for the charities that helped out my parents.

“Our aim was to find a challenge that pushed the physical and mental boundaries and crossing Canada and Scotland will certainly do that.”

'Stunning coastal setting'

Matt, a property developer, added: "Tofino, a stunning coastal setting, was one of my mum’s favourite places and where she spent many happy family holidays.

"It is one of the places where my mother’s ashes and my Canadian grandparents’ ashes were scattered.

"Halifax is on the far east coast of Canada and is where our dogs, Rosie and Tiggy, who are Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers, come from. They were my parents’ dogs and we inherited them after their deaths.

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"We will then jump on a flight from Halifax to Glasgow and head up to the west coast of Scotland.

"From there, we will start running from the spot near Arisaig where my parents and grandparents’ ashes are scattered and make our way across some of the most breathtaking parts of Scotland to St Andrews, where my father was born and raised."

The couple hope to raise £20,000 for a range of charities that helped Matt’s parents, including St Columba’s Hospice, Alzheimer Scotland and Macmillan Cancer Support.

They've set up a website, tofinotofife , where you can find out more and donate.